The preparation and use of 2-amino-5-halo-6-alkyl-4-pyrimidinols as antiviral agents is known (U.S. Pat. No. 3,956,302, and Nicols, Weed and Underwood, Antimicrobial Agents, Chemo. Ther. 9 433, 1976). Preparation of 2-amino-5-bromo-6-phenyl-4-pyrimidinol (V, where X.sub.3 is Br and X.sub.1 is phenyl) has been reported (Brown and Stevens, JCS Perkin I, 1023, 1975) but no utility has been described for this material. Snell, Elias and Freeman in Great Britain Pat. No. 1,223,686 (1967) disclose a variety of 5,6-disubstituted 2-amino-4-pyrimidinols, such as 2-dimethylamino-5-bromo-6-methyl-4-pyrimidinol. Various 5-unsubstituted 2-amino-6-arylpyrimidinols are known (e.g., Sirakawa, Yakugaku Zasshi 80, 1542, 1960, CA 55, 10651b), Kulkarni et al., J. Sci and Ind. Research (India) 19C, 6-8 (1960), CA 54, 22576C and U.S. Pat. No. 2,776,283. Diuretics and cardioregulatory properties are described for various 2-amino and 2-substituted amino-5-aminomethyl and 5-aryl-6-aryl-4-pyrimidinols (U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,704,285, 2,723,777 and 2,776,283).
Compounds within the scope of the instant invention have been described in copending application Ser. No. 022,205, filed Mar. 19, 1979, and are useful as antiviral and interferon inducing agents, or the Belgian equivalent thereof, Belgian Pat. No. 882,315.